Practices in Preserving and Developing Public-Use Seaplane Bases (2015)

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25 Developing SPBs refers to the establishment of new water landing areas and land facilities, the upkeep of older ones, and the means to do both. In this regard, the study provides an overview of documentation on existing SPB planning processes, design considerations, permits, regulatory requirements, and facility and service needs. SEAPLANE BASE REGISTRATION Registration with the FAA and the state is one step in the development of either a private-use or public-use SPB. State registra- tion varies and the state aviation agency can assist with any requirements. To be listed in the FAA registry (5010 database), an SPB operator submits an application to the FAA using FAA Form 7480-1 Notice for Construction, Alteration and Deactiva- tion of Airports, as required under 14 CFR Part 157 (14 CFR 157). The regulation requires any person who intends to do any of the following to notify the FAA of their intent to • Construct or otherwise establish a new airport or activate an existing airport. • Construct, realign, alter, or activate any runway or other aircraft landing or takeoff area of an airport. • Deactivate, discontinue using, or abandon an airport or any landing or takeoff area of an airport for a period of 1 year or more. • Construct, realign, alter, activate, deactivate, abandon, or discontinue using a taxiway associated with a landing or takeoff area on a public-use airport. • Change the status of an airport from private use to public use or from public use to another status. • Change any traffic pattern or traffic pattern altitude or direction. Notice to the FAA is not necessary if an SPB has only visual flight rules (VFR) operation, is used for a period of less than 30 consecutive days with no more than 10 operations per day, or is used only intermittently, and that landing site is not an estab- lished airport, such as river, lake, or pond that is used or intended to be used for less than 1 year. Intermittent use of a site means it is not used for more than three days in any one week and no more than 10 operations are conducted in any one day. These rules convey that an official SPB designation is not needed for a seaplane to operate on a body of water. ADVISORY CIRCULAR 150/5395-1A SEAPLANE BASES Individuals seeking to develop an SPB can obtain guidance from AC 150/5395-1A Seaplane Bases. Contained in the AC is guidance on how to establish an SPB, the application of design standards, and factors and recommendations for consideration. While advisory in nature, several of the standards become mandatory if an operator is seeking federal funding assistance from the AIP or passenger facility charge programs. One mandatory requirement is the submission of an SBLP. The SBLP is similar to an airport layout plan for a land airport. Having an FAA-approved SBLP results in the inclusion of the SPB in the NPIAS. Seaplane Base Layout Plan An SPB operator seeking to obtain an FAA-approved SBLP would submit the plan to the FAA for evaluation and determina- tion that safety standards are met. The evaluation considers both the water landing area and the land facilities. The planning process would include a site analysis and evaluation of the proposed or existing location. Planning requirements can also involve research into issues such as water quality, water depths and underwater obstacles surveys, airspace approach and obstacle surveys, easements considerations, and infrastructure needs. Depicted on the SBLP would be any buildings, navigational aids, lighting, fences, cargo facilities, and maintenance or service areas, as applicable. A land airport layout plan is usually developed from a master plan study. For SPBs, a master plan CHAPTER FOUR DEVELOPING SEAPLANE BASES

26 study and documentation is not a requirement for an SPB, just the SBLP. Should a more involved master plan be pursued, guidance can be found in the current edition of AC 150/5070-6B Airport Master Plans. Thirteen of the 31 SPB operators surveyed do not have an SBLP {Q18}. Of the 11 SPBs that do have a layout plan, they have it primarily because they are included with a land airport’s layout plan that is in the NPIAS. In the case of Alaska, the state DOT&PF has sought to develop SBLP for many of their state-owned SPBs. The state manages FAA funding for those SPBs through a pooled entitlement program of its nonprimary commercial service airports. Five SPB respondents indicated they have partial layout plans. Airspace Obstruction Evaluation The operational characteristics of seaplanes affect the design, layout, and type of facilities needed for an SPB. The perfor- mance capabilities of each aircraft will dictate the necessary length of water takeoff and landing area necessary, maneuvering areas, obstacle clearance, and water depth. A water landing and takeoff area can extend to beyond 10,000 ft for some aircraft. Some seaplanes can take off in less than 400 ft. AC 150/5395-1A recommends a minimum of 2,500 ft for the water landing and takeoff area, as do some state regulations. Figure 8 illustrates several of the operational and design factors suggested for an SPB, according to the advisory circular. FIGURE 8 Design layout of a typical seaplane base. (Source: FAA Advisory Circular 150/5395-1A) The submission of an SBLP triggers an evaluation of obstacles in the airspace and the impact of the SPB on other nearby air- craft operating areas. The airspace evaluation is conducted under CFR Part 77. Obstructions in the airspace approach to a water landing site affects the pilot’s ability to safely land on the body of water. A typical safe approach will have a minimum horizontal glide path ratio of 20:1, with a flatter approach slope of 50:1 as an ideal. This means for every 20 or 50 ft of horizontal distance, an aircraft will descend 1 ft. The 50:1 ratio equates to roughly a 2.5-degree slope. Shoreline obstacles in the approach to a water landing area can result in a pilot landing further into the body of water than if the obstacle did not exist. Conversely, a shoreline obstacle in the departure path requires a seaplane to lift off or turn to the side sooner than ordinary in order to avoid the obstacle. Siting and Developing a New Seaplane Base Seaplane pilots know that the SPB facilities they fly to and from vary in size and amenities. They can range from a simple beach to a well-planned and well-constructed base that has infrastructure for amphibious aircraft to taxi onto the land and be housed and repaired in hangars. Onshore buildings for administrative and passenger use are found at SPBs that serve commercial air taxi or charter operations. In between the extremes are SPBs that consist of just a mooring buoy, a ramp, a slip, or a shoreline dock or pier. To understand the design of an SPB or to plan for one, an understanding of seaplane operational characteristics is necessary.

27 In a siting study conducted for the Sitka, Alaska, community, a number of factors were outlined for locating a new SPB (Sit- ing Analysis, Sitka Seaplane Base–Sitka, Alaska 2012). As a result of a master plan update, the need for a new SPB facility to serve the community was acknowledged and the siting study was commissioned to identify an acceptable site. The study listed the following facility issues: • Wind protection • Wave protection • Degree of icing exposure • Meets capacity goal • Room for growth • Room for aircraft maneuvering • Length of taxi distances • Provision for adequate vehicle parking • Provision for fueling facilities • Drive-down ramp capability • Area for on-site aircraft maintenance • Protection from wildlife hazards • Reducing conflicts with boat traffic • Minimal dredging or rock removal • Compatibility with adjacent land uses • Property acquisition costs • Capital cost requirements • Operating and maintenance cost • Revenue-generating potential. As it relates to SPB operations studied in this report, four operators identified protection from weather or water depth as a reason for their site selection. Three SPBs identified that their location was selected owing to a need for a freshwater rather than saltwater landing area. One SPB was located to reduce interference with boating or marina activity. FACILITY NEEDS AND AMENITIES An important component in developing an SPB is identifying the needed or desired facilities and amenities. A master plan study can be helpful because it includes compiling an inventory of the existing facilities, a forecast of demand, and a projection of future facilities that are to be shown on an SBLP. According to the survey, the most common means for obtaining information about facility needs is through interaction with pilots and users {Q19}. SPB operators conduct user surveys and questionnaires over the phone, through e-mail, or through monthly rent payment envelopes. Information is also collected from local GA pilot associations. In 2012, the city and borough of Sitka sought to update a master plan that was completed in 2002. The update would look at relocating the existing SPB. The impetus for relocation consideration is outlined in the report’s introduction: The proposed SPB improvements are intended to address the existing facility’s capacity, safety, and operational and condition deficiencies. Capacity concerns are evidenced by the existing SPB’s full occupancy, a previous list of seaplane owners who had been waiting two years or more to rent a slip, expressions of interest from seaplane owners not currently using the SPB, and restrictions limiting commercial use. Safety concerns include concentrations of seabirds in and around the SPB’s operating area, conflicts with boat traffic, lack of adequate taxi lane clearance between the SPB floats and neighboring Sitka Sound Seafoods (SSS) facility, and the submerged rock obstructions adjacent to the floats. Operational concerns include the lack of fueling facilities that requires seaplane operators to carry and dispense fuel from small containers, and inadequate vehicle parking. The existing SPB is also unable to adequately serve commercial traffic because it lacks sufficient vehicle parking, on-site aircraft maintenance, a drive-down ramp to the floats, a passenger shelter, and equipment storage. The existing SPB is 50 years old and is at the end of its useful life. The timber floats are weathered, have lost their preservative treatment, and are losing their floatation capability. Source: Siting Analysis Sitka Seaplane Base - Sitka, Alaska.

28 The range of facilities provided at the SPBs surveyed for this report reflects the nature of their geographic location and the type of water access available {Q20}. Figure 9 identifies the types and numbers of shoreline facilities available at the surveyed SPBs. SPBs subject to tidal action require floating docks, while those on inland lakes may have stationary docks or none at all. Stationary docks, while simple in design and cost, are nonetheless subject to use depending on fluctuating lake levels during periods of drought, especially those located on reservoirs. The environmental conditions of exposure to salt water, tides, and wave action in Alaska result in the construction of more slipways than in other states. FIGURE 9 Type and number of dock facilities available at SPBs. Note: Total exceeds number of surveyed SPBs as multiple docking facilities are reported. (Source: SMQ Airport Services {Q20}) Amenities and Services Table 6 presents data on what amenities and services surveyed SPBs have, and what amenities and services the operators want {Q21}. The major services and amenities provided by surveyed SPBs in the contiguous states¬ reflect a higher level of amenities than those in Alaska. The most consistent requests from SPBs in Alaska are to have what is usually provided in the contiguous United States—utilities such as electricity, gas, water, and waste treatment. The results in Table 6 are consistent with information found in a study assessing the feasibility of a new floatplane facility near Anchorage, Alaska (Economic Feasibility Study of a New Floatplane Facility Located in Anchorage, Alaska 2008). In that report, the authors ranked the amenities into three basic tiers: (1) basic physical facilities such as a fuel, tiedown area, power to the slips, float and wheel swap and storage areas, and pumpout restrooms; (2) service- related amenities such as repair services/facilities and on-site maintenance services; and (3) other amenities, such as the provision of water and natural gas, an FBO or special aviation service operator, and food concessions. For a commercial air taxi or charter operator, the facility requirements differ in importance because they may be required to provide certain amenities and services as part of their operating certificate, federal law, or lease agreement. Their facility needs are customer vehicle parking, shelters for passengers, a fueling system, a ramp from shore to the seaplane float capable of supporting a small truck or van, storage for small equipment and supplies, freshwater for washing aircraft, electricity, and capabilities for aircraft maintenance (Siting Analysis, Sitka Seaplane Base–Sitka, Alaska 2012). The requirement for a pas- senger gangway capable of supporting a small van is for compliance with the accessibility requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and for cargo loading. Five of the survey respondents identified their facilities as having a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) designation for international inspection processes. Four of the SPBs are colocated with a land airport having port-of-entry status. One seaplane base, because of its volume of traffic and operational routes, is a standalone CBP port-of-entry. Four other operators identified the CBP listing as a desired designation. The CBP website lists those airports eligible to receive non-precleared and precleared aircraft. It also features instructions for applying for a CBP designation (http://www.cbp.gov/).

29 TABLE 6 COMPARISON OF SERVICES PROVIDED AND SERVICES DESIRED AT SPBS Amenities and Services Contiguous U.S. (n = 19) Alaska (n = 12) Offered by SPBs Desired by SPBs Offered by SPBs Desired by SPBs Municipal or similar piped water 10 3 3 3 Well water 3 1 1 1 Municipal or similar piped sewer system 4 2 2 2 Septic system 5 0 0 1 Chemical toilet 3 3 3 1 Hazardous or biowaste disposal 0 1 1 1 Electricity 12 5 5 5 Telephone—landline 9 4 4 2 Cell phone capability 16 9 9 1 Wi-Fi or Internet access 11 4 4 1 Unicom 9 2 2 2 Air traffic control tower 4 4 4 0 Fuel—Mogas 2 0 0 0 Fuel—Avgas 100LL 10 6 6 2 Fuel—Jet A 3 3 3 0 Major maintenance repair and alteration 6 3 3 1 Minor maintenance repair and alteration 8 3 1 3 Wash rack or similar cleaning opportunity 6 1 5 3 Lift, dolly, railway, transition, or changeover services 7 3 5 3 Slips 6 5 4 1 Hangar or storage facility 7 4 3 2 Customs or TSA services 4 3 25 2 Note: Totals reflect multiple choices by operators. Source: SMQ Airport Services {Q21}. Aircraft Maintenance at Seaplane Bases For an aircraft to remain in airworthy condition, it must undergo a thorough inspection annually and preventive maintenance as necessary. The annual inspection requires the opening of inspection and engine panels and cabin interiors, and ready access to the whole aircraft. The annual inspection is normally completed at a maintenance facility located at an SPB or at a land airport. Amphibious aircraft can easily access land-based maintenance facilities. Straight float aircraft require a hoist, dolly, lift, or rail system to be moved from the water to the land (Figures 10 and 11). FIGURE 10 Straight float dolly. (Credit: S. Quilty, SMQ Airport Services)

30 FIGURE 11 Aircraft lifted from rail system with forklift attachment. (Credit: S. Quilty, SMQ Airport Services) FIGURE 12 Maintenance being performed outdoors on a float seaplane. (Credit: S. Quilty, SMQ Airport Services) A hangar for performing maintenance is valuable during inclement weather. Because a floatplane sits higher than a normal wheeled aircraft, regular aircraft hangar door openings and facilities may restrict accommodating a seaplane for shelter or maintenance. Figure 12 illustrates outside maintenance being performed on a float aircraft, as the aircraft will not fit inside an existing hangar. An alternative to a land airport is a floating hangar (Figure 13). When queried about the overall condition of SPBs in use, 65% of the survey respondents described their facilities as being in good to excellent condition (Table 7) {Q22}. Docking Facilities In its role as a transition area, SPB docking and land facilities may be as simple as a small dock to accommodate a single aircraft, or be of different combinations of docks, piers, moorings, and ramps to accommodate a wide range of aircraft and activities (Figure 14). Where the shoreline may be rugged or marinas congested, mooring buoys may be placed away from

31 FIGURE 13 Floating hangar with ramp and rail dolly system. [Source: Alaska DOT&PF (Siting Analysis, Sitka Seaplane Base–Sitka, Alaska 2012)] FIGURE 14 Typical single seaplane base docking facility. (Credit: A. Faegre 1999. Used with permission.) TABLE 7 CONDITION AND NUMBER OF FACILITIES AT SPBS Condition Contiguous U.S. Alaska Excellent 4 1 Very Good 5 2 Good 4 3 Fair 3 3 Poor 1 1 Source: SMQ Airport Services {Q22}.

32 the shore and require alternate means for persons to reach the shore. Beaches have long been a basic facility to accommodate seaplanes, as their cost to develop or maintain is small in most cases. If a pilot wishes to protect his or her aircraft from the environment, secure an aircraft on land, or have major maintenance performed, a ramp leading from the water to the land facilities is beneficial, unless some sort of a lifting device is used. For dock facilities located in saltwater environments, a slip or ramp that allows for seaplane floats to be pulled completely out of the water is valuable, as it allows for reduced exposure to saltwater corrosion and facilitates wash-downs and inspections. The provision of freshwater for aircraft wash-downs is also valuable. Figure 15 is an example of a floating dock with slipways to allow the aircraft to be parked out of the water. It also shows the gangway that allows for fluctuating tides. The design and construction of shoreline facilities is influenced by a number of factors including available space, water depth, wave and tidal action, construction and maintenance costs, weather and environment exposure, overall purpose, and expected demand. Three key factors emerged from the literature regarding the effect of dock design on an aircraft’s ability to dock properly: 1. Aircraft design: An aircraft wing will extend over a dock, pier, or ramp area unless a pilot noses the aircraft into the dock. If the seaplane is of a hull boat design, the wings are normally lower than those of a float plane. The pontoons located on the hull plane wings make it difficult to attach the aircraft sideways to a pier or dock. For that reason, hull planes are designed to nose-in to a dock. Slipways or beaches are good alternatives to docks. 2. Maneuvering space: Adequate maneuvering room is needed close to the docking area. The wing extension over the dock requires the elimination of tall mooring posts, pylons, or other vertical objects. Absent a reversibly controlled propeller, an aircraft cannot back up. Most seaplanes will have as standard equipment a paddle that the pilot can use to help in maneu- vering. If a dock is to be used by both seaplanes and boats, consideration is to be given to the operational characteristics of the seaplanes and the need for adequate maneuvering area and an unobstructed dock or pier for wing clearance. Figure 16 gives an example of this need. 3. Wind direction: An aircraft presents a large fuselage side and tail surface that wants to weathervane into the wind. If the wind is not aligned to the dock area, it becomes more difficult for the pilot to position the aircraft properly. The AC on SPBs suggests that seaplane dock facilities are most effective when separated from boat or other vessel areas. The AC also describes large float or pier structures laid out in a three-sided figure or an “H” layout that allow for parallel seaplane docking under a multitude of water or wind conditions (Figure 17). Seaplanes can tie up to mooring buoys, anchors, FIGURE 15 Example of floating dock with gangway, pier, and slipways. (Credit: A. Faegre 1999. Used with permission.)

33 or a barge, but getting the pilot and passenger to land requires the use of a skiff or boat. One marina in the survey provided this arrangement. As seaplanes have a tendency to weathervane, adequate clear space must be allotted for the weathervane action if moored to a buoy. Water current action will affect boats more so than the wind, so the mix of aircraft and boats in a mooring or anchoring area requires consideration of a possible interference. Aircraft and float manufacturers may provide ramp and docking guides for their particular aircraft or equipment. A number of dock designs attempt to accommodate rising tides and water fluctuations. Figure 18 shows a galvanized steel piling used in Alaska for attaching a floating dock. A galvanized collar surrounds the piling to allow it to rise and fall with the 20-ft-or-greater shifts in tides. The collar is lined with an ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene wear surface that has a rubber backing. Figure 19 shows a typical freshwater dock with wood piling. The commercial service SPB at Vancouver Harbour (Canada) has a floating dock that uses a flexible bungee-type system. Underwater hawsers tie the dock to the sea floor anchors and stretch to maintain tension as waves, currents, and tides affect the dock (Gilbert 2010). Protective skirting or tires installed at the water level help to prevent pontoons or hulls from slipping under the dock during tide or wave action. If made of wood, the AC suggests piers and docks be protected from attacks by various insects, fungi, and marine borers through the use of approved preservatives or coatings. Metal piers, decking, and fit- tings require protection from corrosion. A nonslip decking material is important to help prevent slip and fall accidents and injuries. FIGURE 17 Typical H-dock layout design at Vancouver Seaplane Terminal, British Columbia. (Source: Google maps, Digitglobal, IMTCAN, Province of British Columbia) FIGURE 16 Example of a shared dock layout. (Credit: A. Faegre 1999. Used with permission.)

34 FIGURE 18 Example of a galvanized steel floating dock attachment. (Credit: V. Skagerberg, Alaska DOT&PF. Used with permission.) FIGURE 19 Example of a wood piling float dock attachment with spacing to accommodate a seaplane. (Credit: S. Quilty, SMQ Airport Services)

35 SUMMARY This section provided an overview of the SPB planning process, design considerations, permits, regulatory requirements, envi- ronmental considerations, and construction. It included information on the operational nature of seaplanes and how an SPB’s design, layout, and type of facilities needed are affected. A larger planning effort, an SPB master plan, would generally include research on water quality, water depths and underwater obstacles surveys, airspace approach and obstacle surveys, easements considerations, and infrastructure needs. An important factor for why it is beneficial for SPBs to have a master plan is so they can be better recognized as part of the overall U.S. transportation network. The range of facilities provided at the SPBs surveyed for this report reflects the nature of their geographic location and the type of available water access. The design and construction of shoreline facilities is influenced by a number of factors including available space, water depth, wave and tidal action, construction and maintenance costs, weather and environment exposure, its overall purpose, and its expected demand. Seaplanes have several operating characteristics to consider when operating on water versus land. The design of dock facilities is affected by factors such as no brakes to stop the aircraft on water, wind and wave action on the floats or hull, and the amount of seaplane draft.